Tobacco-hanging machine



3 SHEETS-SHEET lmWm mm Patented Dem 21, 1920.,

L. J. PAYLOR.

TOBACCO HANGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.22. 1919.

L. J. PAYLOR.

TOBACCO HANGING MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, 1919.

1,362,893. Patented Dec. 21, 192%.,

a SHEETSSHEET 2.

L. J. PAYLOR.

TOBACCO HANGING MACHINE.

APPLICAT 111111111111111111 9.

1,362,893. Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

. 3 EEEEEEEEEEEE 3 UNITED STATES LONNIE J. PAYLOR, 0F DANVILLE, VIRGINIA.

TOBACCO-HANGING MACHINE.

To all whom it'may concern Be it known that I, LONNIE J. PAYLoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Danville, in the county of Pittsylvania and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tobacco-Hanging Machines, of which the following is a specification. 1

This invention relates to machines f0 hanging bundles or hands of tobacco, although, of course, it could be readily used in connection with the hanging of articles of a similar nature.

Tobacco, as received at the factory to be put in condition for preservation until it is to be used for the manufacture of cigars, cigarettes, etc., is in bundles generally consisting of a dozen or more leaves tied together at their stems by a string, strip of tobacco, or other suitable binding means, forming a head or butt for the bundle which in the trade are termed bands. These bundles must be put through a drying machine in' which the natural moisture is removed from the tobacco and a certain predetermined amount of artificial moisture is given the tobacco leaves after which they are suitably cooled and thereafter packed in hogsheads for shipment.

One of the main types of drying machines is known as the stick machine in which sticks, about three feet long are supported at each end by endless moving chains and are conducted through the machine, each of the sticks being straddled by several bundles of tobacco.

I am aware that it has been heretofore proposed-to mechanically hang stalks of tobacco by penetrating the stalk to form an opening therein and thereafter placing the stalk upon a stick. I am also aware that it has been proposed that the same operation be performed upon hands of tobacco, but, so far as I am aware, I am the first to devise a machine which preliminarily prepares 'the hand for hanging, by fiuiiing the same, and then hangs the hand upon a stick.

An objection to the present method em- .ployed for stringing bundles upon laths is the fact that there is no economical and satisfactory method for suitably moistening and brittle, there is a considerable loss of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

Application filed Apri1'22, 1919. Serial No. 291,829.

tobacco which it is of course desirable to eliminate.

Furthermore, when hands of tobacco are put through a drying machine it is necessary that thelr leaves be separated and that the hands he in a rather fiuffy condition in order that the artificial heat and moisture may read1ly penetrate between them and have the desired effect upon every leaf of the hand. To permit thisit is necessary, when manually hanging the bundles of tobacco, to shake and beat them in order to 0btam the above mentioned fluify condition of the hand in which the leaves are separated. It should be obvious that this is a rather rough treatment and when the tobacco is very dry results in the breaking V and tearing of the tobacco leaves which it is of course desirable to overcome.

The general object of my invention is to provide a machine which will automatically place the hands upon their laths. In seeking to attain this object I also have other aims such as the satisfactory moistening of the hands priorto stringing, the formation of an openlng among the leaves and the flufling of the bundles without the above mentioned shaking and general harmful treatment of the bundle incident to manual hanging.

The above, and other objects of my invention which will become apparent as the descrlption proceeds, I accomplish by providing a machine which may be briefly de-.'-

scribed as follows:

There 1s provided, first, a primary conveyer for hands of tobacco which conducts the hands through a steam box or other suitable moistening mechanism and then onward to a secondary conveyer which receives the hands and carries them past a divider and spreader, the former partially dividing the bundle longitudinally, the spreader flufling the bundles and opening them up through their longitudinal center, the bundles being thereafter held in this opened condition until they reach a point of discharge where they are dropped upon laths successively placed in position to re-'- ceive the opened up bundles.

Reference will now be had to the accompanying views, it being understood that the machine shown therein is merely one of many types in which my invention could be embodie In these drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of the machine, the primary conveyer being shown in longitudinal section;

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the same side of the machine showing the continuation thereof;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line 33 of Fig. 1*;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the compressing guides shown in Fig. 1;

F 1g. 5 is a plan of a portion of the primary conveyer, and

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the dlvider and spreader for the bundles.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, it should be understood that while a specific embodiment of my invention is shown therein, and that while the machine is described as being used in connection with bundles of tobacco, the scope of my invention is not limited to use with hands of tobacco nor is it confined to the specific features of construction disclosed in the accompanying drawings, since my invention is shown therein merely by way of illustration and numerous changes in construction could well be made within the tive idea.

The machine shown in the drawings naturally divides itself into three distinct elements; a rimary conveyer A, a secondary conveyer g and a stick or lath carrier 0 adapted to carry laths to the discharge point of the secondary conveyer B for the purpose of receiving the opened up bundles of chain for the with manual tobacco discharged from the secondary conveyer at this point.

The primary conveyer A comprises three parallel endless chains a a a extending around sprockets upon shafts 1 and 2, each being provided with spaced lugs a purpose of receiving the hands of tobacco which are laid across the chains in the horizontal plane as shown in Fig. 5. As will be observed from Fig. 1, this primary conveyer passes through a steam box 3 having located therein upper and lower steam pipes 5, 6, provided with jets for the purpose of moistening hands of tobacco as they pass therethrough. Steam may be conducted to the jets from any suitable source of su ply, the pipes being provided y operable valves 7 to regulate the supply of steam to"the jets, and the steam box may be supported in any suitable manner, in the present instance it being shown as secured to a frame 8 in which is located the sprocket shaft 2.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the primary conveyer at its end adjacent the shaft 2 meets the secondary conveyer B, which consists of two endless'belts b b the latter belt at the point where the conveyer meets the primary conveyer being run. around an idler 9 upon purview of my lnvenabout an axls a stub shaft 10. This idler is located between the two chains (1., a of the primary conveyer and hence the lower belt 6 receives the bundles of tobacco adjacent their tied ends, the bundles being always laid upon the primary conveyer chains with their tied ends adjacent the chain a This method of placing the hands upon the conveyer is necessary for the bundles must always be received .by the secondary conveyer in such a manner that their main body portion hangs from the side of the belt. After being received by the belt 6 of the secondary conveyer, the hands are carried along and pass between the two belts b b the former passing around a sheave 11 upon a shaft 11 located above and slightly to the rear of the lower belt idler 9. It should be observed that the belts are both angularly and rectilinearly movable and after the reception of the hands are given a quarter turn by the angularly disposed idler 13 supported from a bracket 12, which bracket is located upon an extension of the frame 8. The belts of the secondary conveyer with the bundles held betwecn them by their bound ends or butts and having been given a quarter turn by the idler 13 travel, pass onwardly through a main frame 14 shown in Fig. 1.

The frame 14 comprises a plurality of vertical' legs 15 having longitudinal frame braces 16, 17, running along the top and bottom of the frame, the frame being transversely strengthened by cross-members 18. In order to press together the two belts b 6 as they pass through the frame, there are provided two guide bars 20, 21, yieldably urged together by compression springs 22. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the guide bars are each provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves 23 upon their parallel with their path of.

Inner surfaces and there are located upon the same surfaces within semi-circular recesses a number of idlers 24 disposed in staggered relation, the idlers being journaled upon pins 25 within these recesses. By thus disposing the idlers 23 in contact with the belts the friction of the belts with the guide bars is considerably reduced and the grooves 23, permitting circulation of air between the belts and the guides, keep to a minimum the heat between the guide bars. The guide bars are supported upon horizontal arms 26 extendin inwardly from the vertical legs 15 of t e frame, the arms also serving to support abutment blocks 27 for the compression springs 22 which urge follow- Ifirs 28 against therear faces of the guide ars.

From the above description it should be observed that while the bundles of tobacco lie in the horizontal plane when they are received by the secondary conveyer B, they are turned about an axis parallel with the path of travel of the secondary conveyer belts, and these belts being pressed together by the yielding guides 20, conduct the hands through the machine. I

In order to provide for the opening up of the hands there is located beneath that portion of the secondary conveyer which travels in a vertical plane. between the guides within the frame 14, a divider and spreader shown more clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 6. In the present embodiment of my invention I have shown the spreader as comprising a pluralityof-supports 29, each support havin two longitudinally diverging legs 30, (Fig. 6) meeting at a point 32 just beneath the traveling belts b 5 The diverging legs 30, of each support carry at their point of meeting a bar 33 running longitudinally of the machine within the frame 14 and having at its end adjacent the front of the frame 14 (shown at the left of Fig. 6) a removable spear point 33 held within a socket at the tip of the bar 33 by means of a set screw indicated at 34. At a point to the rear of the spear 33 is located a downwardly and rearwardly extending dividing bar 35 which at 36 is bent upwardly to the bar 33. The spear 33 is adapted to penetrate a bundle at a point just below the bound end, forming an opening between the leaves. The bar 35 being in the same vertical plane as the spear divides the bundle from the point of penetration of the spear toward its base as it is carried along by the conveyer. In order to provide for the opening up of the bundle, the spreader has attached thereto parallel bars 37 running longitudinally of the frame 14 and supported at vertically spaced points along the diverging legs 30, of the brackets upon which'rests the bar 33. At a point adjacent the front supporting bracket 29 these bars have inwardly and upwardly turned pottions 37 running to points 37 slightly to the rear of the spear 33, thus producing a construction in which the portions 37* are adapted to spread apart the portions, of the bundle on each side of the dividing bar 35. As the bundles of tobacco are carried along by the belts b 5 they are engaged by the spear 33 at a point below their bound ends, which it will be recalled are held between the two belts, the spear penetrating the bundle's which when carried along are longitudinally divided by the dividing bar 35. The two portions of the hand thus formed on each side of the divider 35 are then spread apart by the inwardly and upwardly conveying bars 37 the bundles being held in this opened condition by the parallel portions 37 of those bars running longitudinally of the frame 14. It might be well to remark in this connection that it is for the purpose of preparing the handsffor the spreader that the steam box 3 is provided and the hands passed therethrough prior to being disposed upon the secondary conveyer. The hands as received prior to being placed upon the laths are often very dry and brittle and their leaves are frequently matted together. It is well known in the treatment of tobacco that heat and moisture will not only soften the leaves but there is a tendency for bundles of tobacco to open up and the leaves thereof to separate when attacked by moisture and heat. Hence, when the bundles of tobacco pass through the steam box 3 the steam from the pipes 5 has the above noted effect upon them and, consequently, when they reach the spear 33 and the divider 35 the bundles are readily divided and opened up. While the steam box is not necessary at all times it has been found that it materially aids in the operation of a machine, particularly when the tob'acco is very dry and brittle, as when tobacco in that condition is carried to the spear the latter has a tendency to pierce the leaves or stems of the tobacco and to split them. Furthermore, when the leaves of the bundles are matted together, whole bundles or large parts thereof will often be broken ofi' if not moistened prior to their conveyance to the spreader. After being divided by the spear 33 and divider 35 the portions of the bundles on each side of the divider 25 are moved apart by the inwardly and upwardly extending portions 37 of the bars 37 running longitudinally of the frame 14, and while being held in this spread condition by the parallel portions of the bars 37 extending through the frame 14 at a point E are discharged upon laths S supported at this point for the reception of the opened up bundles.

Here it should be observed that the construction above described not only divides the hands below their heads and through their longitudinal center, and spreads apart the two sections into which the hand is divided, but it also satisfactorily flufi's the bundle and causes relative movement of the leaves without the shaking and beating against some object as is at present necessary in manual hanging. As before stated, this shaking of the bundle and the striking of the same against an object is necessary when hanging the bundles by hand in order to cause relative movement and separation of the several leaves so that the heat and moisture of the drying machine may penetrate through the entire bundle. By the constructionabove described, I have found that this flufling of the bundle and the relative movement of the leaves is obtained without the shaking and necessarily rather rough handling incident to the manual hanging of the tobacco. In my machine the fluffed con dition is brought about not only by the action of the steam box which of course pauses a slight separation of the leaves but is primarily due to the construction ofthe.

penetration downwardly to the base or leaf end of the bundle and, as the latter is carried along, the downwardly and rearwardly inclined portions 3'? of the bars 37 spread apart its piortions on each side of the divlder 35. his operation has been dBSCIlbBd' but it should be pointed out that as the two sections of the bundle are moved apart the leaves in each section move relative to each other and are therefore separated should they be matted together. It should also be noted that the idlers 24 are disposed in staggered relation and as the hands are carried between the guide bars 20 and pass each of the idlers the guides are slightly moved in lateral direction, thus causing a movement of the leaf portion of the hand in a lateral direction relative to the bar 33 and the parallel bars 37, which retain the hand in spread condition. This lateral movement is noticeable particularly as the hands reach the points where the idlers 24 are located, and takes place in alternately opposite directions because of the fact that the idlers are staggered as shown. The lateral movement of the leaf portion of the hand against the .bars 33 and 37 thus causes relative movement of the individual leaves and continues the flufling operation which was started by the spear and Spreaders. Thus the fiuffed condition obtained in the manual hanging of these bundles by the shaking and heating of the bundle is obtained in my machine in a manner calculated to avoid breaking and tearing of the leaves.

In order to place laths at the discharge point E (Figs. 1 and 1") there is provided a stick conveyer C consisting of an endless chain 0 running from a sprocket 39 on the shaft 40 located beneath the support 8 to a larger sprocket wheel 41 upon a shaft 42 having a bearing in a vertical bearing arm 43. The chain a has at suitable intervals lugs c which serve as dragsifor the laths which receive the opened up bundles. The chain may be of an adjustable nature so that links may be removed from and added 'thereto in order that the distance between the lugs 0 may be varied in accordance with the length ofthe stick or lath to be used. In order to accommodate the device to variations in the length of the stick conveyer chain 0 the bracket support 43 for the sprocket shaft 42 is rendered adjustable to and from the main frame 14 by securing the same upon a movable base 44. The stick conveyer chain travels through a guide 45 of any suitable construction in the present instance shown as a channel bar and the laths through by the bars 37, they are disposed upon laths at a point E where the stick conveyer and the secondary tobacco conveyer meet. As they are dropped upon the sticks and straddle the latter in the manner clearly shown in the drawings, the sticks are re moved from the conveyer chain c and may then be placed in the drier.

The conveyers A, B and C may be driven in any desired manner but in the embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings, power is applied to a horizontal shaft 45 having bearings in brackets 46 located at the end of the frame 14. Movement is imparted to the secondary conveyer from the shaft 45 through the bevel gears 48 thereon which mesh with crown gears 49 upon two vertical shafts 50, 51 having bearings in brackets 53 on the main frame 14 and having secured to their lower ends the conveyer belt sheaves 52. Movement is thus imparted to the secondary conveyer belts and by connectin the pulley 11 of the upper belt 6 with t e shaft 40 through a turned belt 55 shown in F i 1,. motion is given to the stick conveyer c ain 0 The above mentioned connection between the drives of the stick conveyer C and the secondary conveyer B for the bundles maintains a fixed relationbetween the speed of the two conveyers at all times.

The primary conveyer A may be driven in any desired manner but I have found it desirable to drive the same from a source of'power separate from that which moves the secondary conveyer B and stick conveyer C, as it is advisable at times to vary the s eed of the primary conveyer according to t e number of bundles which one may wish to place upon each lath. As will be obvious from inspection of the several views the number of bundles which are deposited upon each of the sticks as they are conveyed to the dischar e point E of the secondary conveyer will speed of the primary conveyer A and it is to obtain a variation in the number of hands placed upon each stick that a separate drive for the primary conveyer A is desirable. This drive may be applied either to the shaft 1 or to the shaft 2, as is desirable.

From a casual reading of the above specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, it should be apparent that I 'of a great amount of labor which it has heretofore been necessary to employ when e directly proportionate to the easily be eliminated, the -hands of tobacco being placed directly in the secondary conveyer; or the lath conveyer could be elim-j inated and the laths held at the discharge point E by operators or supported at this point in a stationary manner by a fixed sup-. port from which the laths might be moved as they are filled. It should be clear therefore that the machine herein described is merely an illustration of my invention and that various other means might be employed for carrying into operation the inventive idea, the essential feature of which is the provision of means for preliminarily preparing and placing hands upon sticks for introduction into the drying machine or for treatment into any other machine in which it may be desirable to place the bundles.

. What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, means for supporting a hand of tobacco, means for partially dividing the hand below its tied end into separated portions and partially opening the leaves, and means for causing relative movement between said supporting means and said dividing means.

2. In a machine of the class described, means for supporting a hand of tobacco, means for dividing the hand from a point below its tied end to its leaf end into two separated portions and partially opening the leaves,gand means for causing relative movement between said supporting means and said dividing means.

3. In a machine of the class described,

means for conveying a. hand of tobacco, and means for dividing the hand being conveyed from a point below its tied end to its leaf end into two separated portions and partially opening the leaves.

4:. In a machine of the class described, endless belt conveying means adapted to carry a hand of tobacco held by its tied end in pendent position, and means adjacent the path of travel of said conveying means in 'one direction for dividing the hand from an intermediate point to its leaf end and partially opening the leaves.

5. In a machine of the class described, a

' pair of facing endless belts adapted to engage and convey hands of tobacco in pendent position between them, said belts having a path of travel in a horizontal plane, means below said horizontal path of travel adapted to divide the hands from points below their tied ends to their leaf ends and partially opening the leaves.

6. In a machine of the class described,

means for conveying hands of tobacco supported by their tied ends with their leaf portions hanging in pendent position, means positioned in the path of travel of the hands for dividing the hands from intermediate points to their leafends and partially opening the leaves, and means for causing relative movement between said hands and said dividing means transversely of said path of travel of the hands to cause a relative movement of the adjacent leaves of the hand.

7. In a machine of the class described, means for conveying hands of tobacco supported by their tied ends with their leaf portions .hanging in pendent position, means positioned in the path of travel of the hands for dividing the hands from intermediate points to their leaf ends and partially opening the leaves, and means for moving said hands transversely of said path of travel and relatively to said dividing,

for the hands, means operativeduring the conveyance of the hands for dividing the hands and maintaining them divided from intermediate points to their leaf ends and partially opening the leaves, and means for supporting laths at said point of discharge to receive the divided hands.

9. In a machine of the class described, a conveyer for hands of tobacco having a point of reception and a point of discharge for the hands, means operative during the conveyance of the hands for dividingv the hands and maintaining them divided from intermediate points to their leaf ends and partially opening the leaves, and means for successively positioning laths at said point of discharge for receiving the divided hands.

10. In a machine of the class described, a conveyer for hands of tobacco having a point of reception and a point of discharge for the hands, means operative during the, conveyance of the hands for dividing the hands and maintaining them divided from intermediate points to their leaf ends and partially opening the leaves, and means for supporting laths at said point of discharge and moving them lengthwise past said point of discharge to receive said opened bundles.

11. In a machine of the class described, a conveyer for hands of tobacco having a point of reception and a point of discharge for the hands, means operative during the conveyance of the hands for dividing the hands and maintaining them divided from intermediate points to their leaf ends and partially opening the leaves, and a conveyer for successively positioning laths at said point of discharge and moving said laths lengthwise past said point of discharge to receive said opened hands thereon.

12. In a machine of the class described, a conveyer for bundles of tobacco adapted-to discharge bundles at a predetermined point,

means for forming an opening in the bundles carried by said conveyer prior to their discharge, and means for supporting laths at the point of discharge of the conveyer and moving said laths lengthwise past said point whereby the bundles are received thereon in spaced relation.

13. In a machine of the class described, means for conveying hands of tobaccp, means for moistening the hands, and meansfor dividing the moistened hands from in- I termediate points to their leaf ends and partially opening the leaves.

14. In a machine ofthe class described,

means for conveying hands of tobacco having a point of reception and a point of discharge, means for moistening the hands, means for dividing the moistened hands from intermediate points to their leaf ends and partially opening the leaves, and means for supporting laths in position at said point A of dischargeto receive said divided hands.

, means comprising a portion adapted to penetrate the hand below its tied end, a portion for dividing the hand from the point of penetration toward the leaf end, and a portion for moving apart the two portions of the hand on opposite sides of the line of division.

16. In a machine of the' class described, means for opening up hands of tobacco comprising a pointed member for penetrating the bundle, a member rearwardly and downwardly inclined from a point adjacent said pointed member, and longitudinally diverging spreaders extending rearwardly from points adjacent said pointed member.

17. Ina machine of the class described, means for supporting a hand of tobacco by its tied end with its leaf end free and disengaged, means for forming an opening in the hand below its tied end, means for maintaining said opening in the hand, means for supporting a lath in position to receive said opened hand, and means for moving said hand supporting means to carry said opened hand to said lath.

18. In a machine of the class described, means for supporting a hand of tobacco, means for forming an opening in the hand between the leaves thereof and causing a relative movement of the individual adjacent leaves to create a fluifed condition for s hanging loosely the hand, and means for causing a relative movement between said supporting means and said openin means.

19. In a mac ine of the class described, means for conveying a hand of tobacco, and means adjacent the path of said conveying means for forming an opening in the hand being conveyed and causing a relative move: ment of the adjacent leaves to create a flufl'ed condition of the hand.

20. In amachine of the class described, means for supporting a hand of tobacco, means for penetrating the hand below its bound end and adapted to press apart-the two portions of the hand on each side of the opening thereby relatively moving the adjacent leaves of the hand, and means for causing relative movement between the sup- 7 porting means and said penetrating and openin means.

21. n a machine of the class described, means for conveying hands of tobacco in spaced relation by holding their tied ends with their leaf portions free, means disposed adjacent the path of said conveying means adapted to penetrate the hands below their tied ends and to press apart the two portions of the hand on opposite sides of the opening thus formed thereby relatively moving the adjacent leaves of each portion of the hand. i

.22. In a machine of the class described, means for conveying hands of tobacco in spaced relation by holding their tied ends with their leaf portions hanging freelyin pendent position, means disposed in the path of said conveying means adapted to penetrate the hands below their tied ends andto press apart the two portions of each hand on the opposite sides of the opening thus formed therebyrelatively moving the adjacent leaves of each hand, and means for supporting laths in position to receive thehands from said conveying means.

23. The method of relatively moving the adjacent leaveso'f a hand of tobacco which consists in supporting the hand with its leaf portion disengaged, forming an opening in the hand below its bound end, and exerting lateral pressure in opposite directions from said opening thereby moving the two portions of the hand in opposite directions and relatively moving the adjacent leaves of each portion.

24. The method of relatively moving the adjacent leaves of a hand of tobacco which consists in supporting the hand by its tied end with its leaf portion hanging freely, forming an opening in the hand below its bound end, and exerting a lateral pressure in opposite directions from said opening thereby moving the two portions of the hand in opposite directions and relatively moving the adjacent leaves of each portion.

25. The method of relatively moving the adjacent leaves of a hand of tobacco which thus formed, maintaining a member in said consists in supporting the hand by its bound opening and producing a relative movement end with its leaf portion hanging freely, between said hand and member in a direc- 10 forming an opening in the hand below its tion transverse to the member.

bound end, exerting an outward pressure in In testimony whereof I have hereunto set opposite directions from said opening to my hand.

spread apart the two portions of the hand LONNIE J..PAYLOR. 

